This starkly contradicts previously launched Vista and Windows 7 software, both of which were divided into countless SKU’s. Among the three flavors that have been officially announced by Microsoft, the default version, which is the 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 8 designed for tablets and x86 PCs, is an upgrade for the Windows 7 Home Premium and Home Basic User Interface.

In comparison, Windows 8 Pro supports innovative features such as Remote Desktop and BitLocker, providing users with a whole new range of possibilities in terms of using the interface. The state-of-the-art features of Windows 8 Pro are essentially designed to cater to the needs of existing Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate users, replacing most of the previous features with timely upgrades.

Windows 8 News

The third and final version of the Windows 8 software will be the enterprise edition, which is specifically designed while keeping in mind the needs and demands of enterprise customers. However, in a strange move that has many software and hardware developers confused, Microsoft has announced plans to rename Windows 8, (ARM) to ‘Windows RT’. There has neither been a clarifications nor a hint as to why the RT moniker has been added to Windows 8.

The most obvious allusion that one can find for RT is the newly launched Runtime Library that is embedded into the new software program and that supports the tile-based Metro interface. The new Windows RT is packed with a feature set that bears striking resemblance to that of the normal Windows 8 except for the fact that it lacks Storage Spaces and a Windows Media Player. One more significant, and possibly deliberate shortcoming of the software is its inability to install x86/64 software.

What prompted Microsoft to replace the name has been a subject of intense debate on the internet and different people cite different reasons for this move. The most likely reason could be the fact that the change in name suggests that it is not a direct upgrade from the previous Windows 7. This means that the traditional Volume Licensing Partners of Microsoft are legally restricted from gaining unauthorized and unrestricted access to the Windows RT interface as would be the case otherwise. The move is also a highly effective one at preventing legitimate installation of Windows 8 on ARM machines, or Android/iOS-based handheld devices.

With this development, it would certainly be interesting to observe whether tablets and handhelds are advertised to run the new Windows RT. Given the current scenario however, the prospective success of the new tile-based Metro interface of Windows RT heavily rests on the contributions of innovative and intuitive third-party applications that will help it to establish a place of its own in the global software market.